Windows 7 approaching end of life and will no longer be supported

After ten years in service, Microsoft is finally ending support for Windows 7 on January 14th, 2020. But what does this mean for those of you who still use the service?

The important thing to note is that you can continue to use your Windows 7 devices after this date - they will continue to function exactly as they did before. Crucially though, Microsoft will no longer be providing the operating system with software updates, security updates or technical support for any issues that arise. Basically, you’re on your own from here on out.

What this all means is that as time goes on, your computer will become more vulnerable to malware and virus attacks and if something does go wrong, you won’t be able to turn to Microsoft for support. Their official recommendation is that you upgrade to Windows 10, their current operating system.

If your computer is powerful enough, you will be able to upgrade your Windows 7 to Windows 10 when you purchase an upgrade, available here. If your computer is more than three years old, Microsoft’s recommendation is to purchase a new PC or laptop which will come installed with Windows 10 as standard.

Alternatively, you could just carry on using your Windows 7 device and live with the extra risk. Whether it’s worth upgrading or buying a new PC is entirely up to you and how much you use your device, but if you spend a lot of time on your computer then we would definitely recommend upgrading to a new device.